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Laughter is the Best Medicine

Laughter is long been considered a great medicine to cure many ills. Stay with us we are working on bringing you some powerful healing medicine. If you have a funny story, one which can be appreciated by everyone, please send it on into us and we will publish it. Click here to laugh.

Quotes About Health

There are wise people all around us. People who understand the world, understand life. We can learn from them. We can be enlightened by them. They can help us to heal ourselves. To enliven yourself and spirit, click here.

Could PMS Leave You Penniless?

Bleeding Money: Could PMS Leave You Penniless?

Do you
blame your reoccurring shopping sprees on your weakness for shoes? Well,
according to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, your
penchant for pumps may have more to do with biology than psychology.

The Secret to Happiness

The Secret to Happiness (Hint: It’s Not Money)

Science has
found the key to happiness—and it’s not a big, fat paycheck. Instead,
making a good, respectable name for yourself leads to the most
satisfaction, according to a new study in Psychological Science.

Prostate Cancer Tests

Screenings controversial but may prevent 17,000 advanced cases each year

Screening for prostate cancer using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
test is controversial, but stopping this screening could result in many
more cases of advanced disease, a new study suggests.

Researchers
analyzed information from the time before and after PSA testing became
widespread, and found that screening using the PSA test prevents an
estimated 17,000 cases of advanced prostate cancer in the United States
each year.

Drugs Cause Loss of Libido

Drugs such as finasteride (Propecia) and dutasteride (Avodart) may
produce significant side effects in some people, including loss of
libido, erectile dysfunction (ED), ejaculatory dysfunction and potential
depression, according to a recent study.

Does Low Testosterone = Diabetes?

Diabetes and low testosterone go hand-in-hand: One in three diabetic men
have low testosterone. But one potential cause of diabetes is low
testosterone. So which came first, testosterone deficiency or diabetes?

Honesty Effect Health

A Notre Dame researcher is hoping this tongue-in-cheek advice will
someday take hold, based on results of a "science of honesty" study she
completed that showed tangible mental and physical health benefits among
those who significantly reduced their everyday lies.

Picky Eaters

Picky Eaters: When Waffles and Fries Are All You Eat
New Study To Determine Why Picky Eaters Won't Eat More Food

Bob Krause hates Thanksgiving, and not because of that all forced family time. Krause, 63, calls himself a picky eater -- one who won't eat anything that's served at a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, or any other dinner, for that matter.

Osteoporosis Meds and Cancer

Ten Essential Mercury Facts

Ten Essential Mercury Facts

Confused by mercury hype? Fear not. Mercury science continues to confirm that fish is a health food. But a host of moneyed activist groups defy reason by dishonestly complaining that "mercury in fish" is today's version of "lead in paint."

Getting defensive

Getting defensive is good for men — but not women
Study shows such behavior makes men feel less stressed; women have opposite reaction

You might think that defensiveness — which psychologists describe as avoiding, denying, or repressing information one perceives as threatening — would not be a good thing, and maybe even causes you stress.

Use it or lose it: Yes, it's true

Use it or lose it: Yes, it's true

Urology clinics have a saying: "Erections make erections." In other words, sex is not unlike sports. If you want to be a good tennis player, play lots of tennis; if you want to be a good lover, make lots of love.

Medical marijuana: What does science say?

Medical marijuana: What does science say?

Depending on whom you ask, marijuana is a dangerous drug that should be kept illegal alongside heroin and PCP, or it's a miracle herb with a trove of medical benefits that the government is seeking to deny the public -- or something in between: a plant with medical uses and drawbacks, worth exploring.

Which Shoppers Are Happiest?

Hey Big Spender, It Isn't You - And It's Not The Bargain Maven Or Penny Pincher, Either

Your shopping style may be a window on your happiness -- and what you spend on may matter more than how much you shell out.

It turns out that the happiest shoppers aren't those who bag the biggest bargains, or those who spend whatever it takes to get the best items out there, or people whose wallets are gathering dust while they pinch their pennies.

Is Stretching All Its Cracked Up to Be?

Investigators have begun two large studies of stretching, asking about its effectiveness in much the way scientists might ask about a new drug or medical device. They’re actively recruiting thousands of volunteers to participate, in the United States and elsewhere, and randomly assigning participants to use the method, or not. That is the only way, researchers say, to detect the subtle effects that most treatments and exercise interventions might be expected to evoke.

Calif. Weighs Chemical Ban In Baby Items

Bisphenol, Which Can Disrupt Hormonal System, Is Used In Plastic Bottles And Formula Cans

Responding to growing consumer anxiety, California lawmakers are considering enacting what could be the first statewide restrictions on a chemical found in plastic baby bottles and infant formula cans.

Top 20 Antioxidant-Packed Foods

Top 20 Antioxidant-Packed Foods

You are looking for ways to protect your heart and your body. You want to find a "natural" process that either requires that you do not ave to take medication or supplements those medications you are already using. Here are 20 foods which if eaten on a daily basis in some combination not only add new and healthy tastes to your life, but also protect your heart, and the rest of your body.

Antioxidant-Packed Foods

Food TAC*

1. Small Red Beans

13,727

2. Wild Blueberries

13,427

3. (Red) Kidney Beans

13,259

4. Pinto Beans

11,864

5. Cultivated Blueberries

9,019

6. Cranberries

8,983

7. Artichoke hearts

7,904

8. Blackberries

7,701

9. Dried Plums (Prunes)

7,291

10. Raspberries

6,058

11. Strawberries

5,938

12. Red Delicious/Granny Smith Apple

5,600

13. Pecans

5,095

14. Sweet Cherries

4,873

15. Black Plums

4,844

16. Russet Potato

4,649

17. Black Beans

4,181

18. Plums

4,118

19. Gala Apple

3,903

20. Walnuts

3,846

* Consider this your shopping list of healthy power foods, based on their total antioxidant capacity (TAC) per serving (1 piece fruit/potato,

25 Top Heart-Healthy Foods

25 Top Heart-Healthy Foods

We all know how important our heart is and of course we want to treat it well and protect it from injury. While the role of cholesterol remains a hotly debated topic there are a number of foods that have little or nothing to do with cholesterol, are heart healthy and just plain flat out taste good.

By adding these foods to your daily diet you are giving your heart a boost in both feeling and staying healthy and happy.

From asparagus to sweet potatoes to a taste robust Cabernet, even a luscious chocolate treat we feed our heart better and enjoy every bite (or sip) of the heart-healthy foods we eat. The following 25 tasty foods deliver a powerful dose of phytonutrients that can prevent heart disease and repair damage to heart cells. This is the core of preventing heart disease.

There many delicious fruits and vegetables, many colors, shapes, sizes, that are both good for you and for your heart. By adding them to your diet and looking for them when you eat out you can significantly reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Fresh fruits and vegetables offer a tasty and painless way to eat a heart-healthy diet. They can help wipe out dangerous free radicals in the bloodstream, protect your blood vessels, reduce the risk of hardening of your arteries and leave you asking for more.

In recent years nutritionist and physicians specializing in preventive medicine have more and more been encouraging their clients to eat a whole food, nutritionally dense food diet. The whole food, nutritionally dense food diet is one what is based around eating food that is vine ripened, fresh and chocked full of vitamin, minerals and other essential nutrients. Fresh fruits and vegetables in their natural form, as it comes from the ground, and less processed and refined foods.

When these fresh vine ripened fruits and vegetables are combined with whole grains, beans and legumes, nuts, fatty fish, lean meats they bring into your body all of the nutrients your heart, muscles, brain and organs need to not only be healthy but to perform optimally and correctly. This basic diet offer all sorts of heart-protective phytonutrients and health creating essential nutrients.

In this article, a first in a series of healthy diet information we will look at a variety of the very best heart-healthy foods.

If you listen to the media and believe what they say then you might think that all your problems could be solved if you were to only eat the one "magic food" they were advertising at the moment. A heart-healthy diet is not only about oatmeal and omega-3 fats, to obtain real and lasting health you will need to look for ways to add a number of heart healthy foods, each containing different but important nutrients. Having an understanding that there are not just a one or two heart-healthy foods can add a great new dimension, to your heart-healthy lifestyle, a tasty variety of foods and dishes made with these foods.

The foods listed here are all top-performers in protecting your heart and your blood vessels. They can also provide a basis for many great menu ideas -- so that you can easily bring heart-healthy foods into your daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Serving them at home can teach your children how to eat healthy and looking for them at your favorite restaurant can create a bonus of great tasting foods that are also healthy for you.

Food

Important Ingredient

Comment

1. Salmon

Omega-3 fatty acids.

Grill salmon with a yummy rub or marinade. Save a chunk to chop for a pasta or salad later on. Consider wild caught salmon as the best possible choice.

2. Flaxseed (ground)

Omega-3 fatty acids; fiber, phytoestrogens.

Ground flaxseed hides easily in all sorts of foods -- yogurt parfaits, morning cereal, homemade muffins, or cookies. Not always easy to spot when dining out but in those heath conscious restaurants a good choice to order.

Give soup or salad a nutrient boost -- stir in some beans. A staple in many ethnic restaurants beans are a nutritious way to protect your heart. Avoid refried beans if possible, and look for cooked bean dishes.

Mix a few almonds (and berries) into low-fat yogurt, trail mix, or fruit salads. Almonds offer a tasty treat as part of amain dish such as Chinese chicken dishes made with almonds or a toping for your favorite desert.

How to save thousands on your health care

10 easy ways to trim costs on everything from physicals to surgeries

After a car accident left Michelle Katz, a Washington, DC, nursing student, with persistent back pain and numbness in 1998, she consulted a neurosurgeon, who told her she'd need an operation to repair her slipped disk. Katz, then 26, didn't have health insurance, so she did the only thing she could think of: She negotiated.

Katz offered to pay her surgeon and anesthesiologist a portion up front in exchange for a hefty discount and arranged a payment plan for the rest. When she got her hospital bill, she haggled with the billing department to drop some charges. All told, she ended up paying just half of the original $28,000 estimate.

Change in pregnancy weight-gain guidelines

Before Jennifer Lepine became pregnant, she heard other soon-to-be moms say she should "eat for two."

But that conflicted with what her doctor told her: Consume only 300 extra calories a day and gain no more than 35 pounds.

The slightly overweight suburban Atlanta, Georgia, woman decided to ignore her friends and watched what she ate after she became pregnant with her first child. The 5-foot-2, 145-pound Lepine gained 35 pounds before her son, Bryson, was born last year. It took her four months to drop the extra weight through healthy eating and exercise.

Abortion pill poses no risk for later pregnancy

Abortion pills pose no apparent risk to a woman who later decides to have a child, according to a study of nearly 12,000 women in Denmark who had a chemical or surgical abortion.

The study in the New England Journal of Medicine found no difference in the rates of subsequent tubal pregnancies, miscarriages, premature births or low birthweight births for women who had previously had surgical abortion, usually through vacuum aspiration, or those taking any of the three drug regimens that eliminate a fetus.

Red meat diet linked to colon cancer deaths

Colon cancer survivors with diets heavy in red meat and fatty foods are more than three times as likely to suffer a recurrence of their disease or die from it than those who avoid such foods, a study found.

Previous studies had shown that a high-fat diet, especially one with lots of red meat, may increase a person

Pot Belly May Signal Artery Disease

Study Shows That Waist-To-Hip Ratio May Be Better Indicator Of Atherosclerosis Than BMIThe tape measure may beat the scale as a low-tech indicator of atherosclerosis, new research shows.

Atherosclerosis means the hardening of the arteries, which makes heart attacks and stroke more likely.

Doctors have sophisticated tools to search for signs of atherosclerosis. But a tape measure may give you a rough idea of your risk, and if you've got a pot belly, watch out. So say James de Lemos, M.D., and colleagues at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

Women Pass on Macho Men

Super masculine types might get the girl in the movies, but in real life, women appear to prefer men with softer and more feminine looking faces.

In a new study out of England involving more than 400 men and women, women picked the warm and fuzzy guys as the best potential partners.

All of the participants completed a computer survey in which they were presented with male faces with different characteristics and then asked to rate them according to various traits like parenting skills, dominance, ambition, wealth, faithfulness, commitment and warmth.

Warfarin Beats Aspirin at Stroke Prevention

People with a type of heart arrhythmia called atrial fibrillation may want to choose treatment with the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin) over treatment with aspirin to prevent stroke.

In a head to head comparison of the two medications, researchers from the University of Birmingham in England report warfarin reduced the risk of stroke significantly more than aspirin. Twenty-one strokes were noted among patients taking warfarin versus 44 among those taking aspirin. The risk of bleeding outside the brain was about the same in the two groups.

New Evidence Prevention Is Best Medicine

Report: More Americans Following 5 Basic Steps Would Save Over 100,000 Lives Each Year

An ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure, but more Americans carrying out five basic preventive measures would save well over 100,000 lives in the United States annually, according to a new report.

It contains numbers to back the main principle of the Partnershp for Prevention, namely, that more emphasis on preventing disease, not just treating it, is needed in the U.S. health care system, and would result in much more efficient use of money spent for it.

Fur flies in debate over whether pets are family

Heartburn Drugs Seem OK for Heart

The popular heartburn drugs Prilosec and Nexium don't appear to spur heart problems, say preliminary U.S. and Canadian probes announced Thursday.

The Food and Drug Administration and its Canadian counterpart began reviewing the drugs, used by tens of millions of people, back in May, when manufacturer AstraZeneca provided them an early analysis of two small studies that suggested the possibility of a risk.

Dozens of Drugs Go Generic

Generic Medicines Mean Financial Relief for Millions of Americans

Americans spend $275 billion a year on prescription medications and most of that is on expensive, brand name drugs.

But in the next five years, 63 of the most popular drugs will be available in a generic version, as patents on some of the most popular medications are set to expire and bring big savings to consumers.

MRI Catches Early Breast Cancer Best

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appears to be much better at finding early breast cancer than traditional mammography, according to authors of a study published this week.

New research conducted over five years reveals MRIs detected 92 percent of all cases of pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Mammography detected 56 percent of the cases. When the investigators looked specifically at high-grade cases of the disease -- those most likely to develop into invasive breast cancer -- MRI caught 98 percent versus just 52 percent for mammography.

Adjusting the findings to take factors like age, menopausal status, personal or family history of breast cancer, history of benign breast disease, or breast density into account didn't change the findings.

Smokeless Tobacco: Unsafe Alternative

Looking for a safe substitute for cigarettes? Smokeless tobacco isn't the way to go, according to a new report.

The report shows that smokeless tobacco may be as bad -- or worse -- than cigarettes, in terms of exposing users to certain cancer-causing chemicals.

"Our results raise serious questions about the strategy of using smokeless tobacco as a substitute for cigarette smoking. Long-term nicotine replacement therapy may be a better option," write the researchers, who included the University of Minnesota's Steven Hecht, PhD.

'Smart Baby' DVDs No Help, May Harm

"Smart baby" videos don't help kids before age 2 years -- and may actually slow word learning, a University of Washington study suggests.

Frederick J. Zimmerman, PhD, of the child health institute at the University of Washington School of Public Health, and colleagues held long telephone interviews with more than 1,000 parents about their children's TV viewing habits. All the children were younger than 2 years of age.

The American Academy of Pediatrics warns parents not to let kids this young watch any TV at all. But the researchers found that 90% of kids regularly watch TV, DVDs, or videos by age 2. Does it really hurt?

Whole Grains vs. High Blood Pressure

Eating More Whole Grains May Make High Blood Pressure Less Likely

Eating just one daily serving of whole grains may help prevent high blood pressure -- and more servings could slash your risk even further.

So says a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Study participants' odds of developing high blood pressure over a decade fell by 4% with each daily serving of whole grains.

Four percent may not sound like a whopping advantage. But since high blood pressure makes heart attacks, strokes, and a host of other health problems more likely, every little step helps.

Snack strategies

When you snack, you can fill in nutritional gaps, boost your intake of fruits and vegetables, keep your mood on an even keel, and help with appetite and weight control.

"There's even evidence that spreading calories out in frequent mini-meals and snacks requires less insulin, which can reduce your risk of developing diabetes," says David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Yale Prevention Research Center in New Haven, Connecticut. "Snacking helps you avoid the waning of energy that comes with consuming large meals." But when it comes to reaping all of these health benefits, every bite counts.

How 4 women defied doctors and disabilities

These courageous pioneers faced extreme disability or death. But when they exhausted the best traditional treatments for their diseases, their hope endured. Instead of giving up, they sought

Teen Drug Slang: A Dictionary For Parents

Know What Your Kids Are Talking About With This Guide To Today's Drug Terms

Is your teen robotripping on CCC?

How would you know if you don't even know what that means?

"It's very important that parents brush up on ... slang, because just like with text messaging, kids use all these abbreviations and parents don

Are Americans Getting Burned By Sunscreen?

Critics Say FDA Guidelines Are Obsolete And Agency Is A Decade Behind In Regulating Industry

When it comes to her daughters, Christine Gugliotta wants maximum protection and trusts it's in there.

"If they put it on that label and I'm paying extra for it, that's what I better be getting," she says.

Sunscreen labels make a lot of claims

How Safe Is Imported Food?

In the wake of some food safety scares, experts offer advice for worried consumers.

The headlines have alarmed U.S. consumers: unapproved antibiotics in seafood from China, tainted toothpaste, and deadly pet food adulterated with the industrial chemical melamine.

Lately, many Americans have become concerned about imported food and question whether the nation's food safety system can protect them from tainted foreign products. With threats popping up from surprising sources, how does one stay safe?

Bullying tied to mental health problems later

Victims more likely to have anxiety disorder as young adults, study says

Boys who bully or are victims of bullies may have a higher risk of mental health disorders as young men, a study published Monday suggests.

The findings, published in the journal Pediatrics, are based on a group of 2,540 boys Finnish boys. At age 8, the boys were asked whether and how often they bullied other children, were targets of bullying, or both. Parents and teachers also answered questions about any psychiatric symptoms the boys had.

Are Laser Printers A Health Hazard?

Dr. Mallika Marshall Examines New Findings That Fine Dust Hurts Lungs

We all know that work environments can be hazardous to our mental health -- but our physical health, as well?

If you factor out the chokingly heavy cologne worn by the guy in the next cubicle or the suspiciously wrapped packages in the back of the communal fridge, what else could be detrimental to your overall health?

To read the full story Are Laser Printers A Health Hazard?, click here

Sweet Dreams? Not With That Old Pillow

Ellen Bass is fastidious about cleanliness because her children are among the 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies. She cleans her house about five days a week, but never realized that bedroom pillows can be a hotbed for germs, even more so than the bathroom.

"I've seen people with pillows that were loaded with microorganisms," NYU microbiologist Dr. Philip Tierno told The Early Show consumer correspondent Susan Koeppen.

Recurring strep throat: When is tonsillectomy useful?

Usually, antibiotics kill strep bacteria. However, a child who repeatedly tests positive for strep throat may be a "strep carrier" or may indeed be getting repeated strep infections. In children who are strep carriers, the symptoms go away, but they still have strep bacteria remaining in their throats.

Sleep Suffers on the Night Shift

People who work when most people sleep often have trouble getting the rest they need, and now Argentinean researchers believe they know why.

Their study reveals men who work a rotating shift have significantly lower levels of the hormone serotonin than those to go to work in the morning and come home at night. Serotonin is a central nervous system neurotransmitter thought to play a key role in regulating sleep.

Weight Loss: Spotting Fad Diets

There are literally hundreds of different diets that have at one time or another been promoted as the best approach to losing weight. Unfortunately, most of them, in their efforts to succeed, involve omitting certain foods, and sometimes even entire food groups (for example, high-protein diets suggest significantly reducing the percent of carbohydrates in the diet, an important component of the recommended eating guidelines based on the food pyramid).

Religion Overcomes Stress

A new study suggests that having positive religious thoughts may protect a patient's psychological well-being during stressful experiences, such as undergoing cardiac surgery. In contrast, negative religious views were found to potentially hinder a patient's recovery process.

Although many studies have been conducted regarding the relationship between health-related well-being and religion, researchers from the University of Washington and the University of Connecticut found that the connection between the two is more complicated that previously believed.

The researchers studied the religious coping styles of 309 subjects who underwent cardiac surgery at the University of Michigan Medical Center. They found that subjects who employed positive religious coping techniques experienced less anxiety and depression and more perceived social support than those who relied on negative religious coping mechanisms.

"These pathways appear to be key in understanding how religious coping styles may be helpful or harmful to a person’s ability to handle stressful situations. These findings imply that health and mental health professionals should be more attentive to faith factors as inspirational or motivational springboards in some contexts," said lead study author Any L. Ai, PhD, of the University of Washington.

The results of the study will be presented at the 114th annual convention of the American Psychological Association.

Religion can be a significant positive force for health and well-being. Studies have shown that both belonging to a religion and praying can help balance life, reduce stress, improve biologic function and improve the day to day quality of life it self. Studies, this one included have also shown that religion can have a negative side and this negative side can be destructions actually leading to illness and perpetuating disease.

What makes the difference between "positive religion" and "negative religion" is how and what we think. If your religion encourages tolerance and you are not tolerant then we see negative results both for society and for the person. Love, joining and working together, acceptance, tolerance, avoiding lies, deceit and causing hurt to others or to yourself are primary factors in "positive religion. On the other hand, anger, feelings of superiority, deceit, bigotry, intolerance, hatred, disgust, and dishonesty are traits of "negative religion."

Many people talk about following the Golden Rule and then ignore it. Many people talk tolerance but are in fact bigots. These are negative and destructive qualities and should be worked upon. Talk with your minister, your priest, your rabbi or clergy and find the unresolved conflicts that create negative and destructive behavior. You will like how you feel when you let go of these demons. You will find yourself closer to God and to your fellow man.

About the Mediterranean-Style Diet

About the Mediterranean-Style Diet

Introduction

There is very strong evidence that a Mediterranean-style diet, one in which olive oil is the principal source of fat, can contribute to the prevention of a number of heart and vascular risk factors. Conditions such as elevated blood cholesterol, elevated triglycerides, high blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity, which are all acknowledged as principle causes or high risk factors in the prevention of coronary heart disease and stroke can all be positively affected using the Mediterranean-style diet. There is also evidence suggesting that a Mediterranean-style diet can play an important preventive role against some cancers as well as against the creation of arthritic conditions.

The traditional Mediterranean-style diet is characterized by eating an abundance of plant-based foods such as whole grain breads, whole grain pastas, fresh vegetables, salads, legumes (beans), fruit and nuts. Olive oil, which is known to lower both total blood cholesterol and triglycerides, is used as the principal source of fat. The typical Mediterranean-style diet involves eating low to moderate amounts of fish, sea foods, poultry, dairy products and eggs and a minimum of red meat. A low to moderate amount of wine can be consumed along with daily meals. The benefit of this diet is that it is low in saturated fatty acids and rich in healthy carbohydrate and fiber. It is also contains a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, primarily derived from olive oil, which as lower total cholesterol and blood triglycerides.

In its healthiest form, stated above, the individual at high risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer or arthritic conditions would also want to reduce or eliminate as much as possible all refined and processed foods. By eliminating refined and processed foods and eating primarily whole fresh foods long standing vitamin mineral deficiencies that can lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and arthritic conditions can be significantly decreased. This is a healthier way of eating and allows not only for prevention of the conditions discussed above but also for optimal health of the entire body and the person in habiting it.

What Is the Real Evidence That the Mediterranean-style Diet Containing Olive Oil Is Beneficial to Health?

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)

Biochemical and clinical studies in number of large European and US population studies have shown beyond doubt that a high-fat diet, high saturated fatty acids (SFA) diet common in most Western and Northern European countries, raises heart plaque producing LDL-cholesterol and thus is causally related to a high incidence of Coronary Heart Disease, heart attacks.

In contrast, a diet rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber (fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts) and where fat source is primarily from monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) such as found in the olive oil-rich, and such is part of the Mediterranean-style diet lowers LDL-cholesterol and total blood cholesterol is associated with a low incidence of Coronary Heart Disease, heart attacks.

Many studies now show that blood lipid levels are better controlled and improved and other health benefits manifested when the Mediterranean-style diet is used. This includes but is not limited to decreased risk for stroke, diabetes, cancer, metabolic syndrome, obesity and arthritic conditions.

Individuals using the traditional Mediterranean-style diet have been shown to generally lower blood pressures when compared with individuals eating a typical Western diet.

Studies involving vegetarians demonstrate that a high intake of complex carbohydrate and dietary fiber such as found in the Mediterranean-style diet and the low intake of SFA have beneficial effects that could lower the risk of diabetes.

Study data now shows a strong beneficial relationship between complex carbohydrate intake and body weight. Because of its high content of complex carbohydrates, the Mediterranean-style diet has, on average, a lower energy content than a high-fat diet which makes it considerably more valuable for the prevention and even treatment of obesity.

Cancer

Studies now provide direct evidence that in countries where a Mediterranean-style diet is consumed, the incidence colon cancer is much lower than in countries eating he typical western high fat, refined food diet.

Studies now provide direct evidence demonstrating that a high intake of fresh fruit and vegetables, particularly raw vegetables, protects against cancers at different sites, especially those of the digestive and respiratory tracts and the hormone related cancers.

The major features of the Mediterranean-style diet are consistent with important findings which indicate reductions in the incidence of cancer at a number of important sites, especially breast cancer.

How Does Olive Oil Exerts its Beneficial Effect on Health?

The major fatty acid of olive oil is oleic acid. It is a monounsaturated fatty acid. Olive oil also contains some small amount of saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. When ingested this combination acts to lower the circulating saturated fatty acids. Olive oil also contains antioxidants, such as vitamin E and polyphenols which are essential to the body and reduce free radicals hence cancer and arthritis. The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances.

When eating olive oil as the primary source of dietary fat, we avoid eating saturated fats which can lead to hardening of the arteries. When substituted for serum cholesterol-elevating saturated fatty acids, the monounsaturated fatty acids found in olive oil act to reduce total cholesterol as well as LDL-cholesterol without reducing the levels of the "good" HDL-cholesterol. This leads to favorable changes in the blood lipid profile and possibly to changes in the physical-chemical properties of lipoproteins. In this way, olive oil with its high monounsaturated fatty acid content may contribute to the prevention and management of hypercholesterolemia (total and LDL-cholesterol) which is a primary risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis, and to the prevention of coronary heart disease.

The consumption of olive oil increases the intake of monounsaturated fatty acids without any significant elevation of SFA, and simultaneously ensures an appropriate intake of the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids.

What Role Does Olive Oil and the Mediterranean-Style Diet Play in the Prevention of Heart Attack and Stoke?

The adoption of a Mediterranean-style diet, with olive oil as a principal source of dietary fat, within the recommended limits of total fat intake, plays play an important role in providing a dietary shield for optimal health. The beneficial effect of olive oil on the risk of heart attack and stroke is mostly due to its favorable effects on blood lipids, including their oxidizability.

The Lyon Diet Heart Study looked at patients recovering from heart attack. It demonstrated that a Mediterranean-style diet, one high in monounsaturated fatty acids, even when adapted to a Western population, protects against coronary heart disease better than other recommended linoleic-acid rich diets for such patients.

Conclusion:

The Mediterranean-style diet provides an excellent example of a tasty and healthy diet which contributes to reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, both as primary and secondary prevention, and possibly also cancer, diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

A low fat Mediterranean-style diet, along with stopping smoking, regular exercise and stress reduction is a sensible way to lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, cancer of the colon and/or breasts as well as arthritis.

Diabetes and Exercise

Exercise is very important in managing diabetes. Combining diet, exercise and medicine (when prescribed) will help control your weight and blood glucose level.

Your Heart Will Like the Mediterranean Diet

Your Heart Will Like the Mediterranean Diet

At the 46th annual conference of the American Heart Association researchers reported on the anti-inflammatory affects of the Mediterranean diet. They noted that in their study of healthy people, 326 women and 585 men ate a Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet is special in that it is a diet which is high in fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans), nuts, seeds and grains. It is low in saturated fat encouraging the use of chicken, turkey, fish and other sea foods over red meats.

The researchers first looked at adherence to the diet. This was measured by scoring the frequency with which participants ate certain foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and grains, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, and alcohol. They also noted the mono-unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio in the participants' diets.

The initial study group was monitored for 23 months between 2002-2003 and their blood C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured periodically during the study. CRP is a non-specific marker of inflammation that has been tied to an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Researchers observed lower levels of CRP in individuals in the study. It is currently believed that a lower CRP level will translate into a decreased cardiovascular and coronary artery disease risk.

The Mediterranean diet has already been shown to create significant improvement in blood lipids lowering both total cholesterol as well as LDL or bad cholesterol. It also have significant in being a safe way to lose weight and thin down the waistline. It appears to even have benefits when compared to eating the more traditional "heart healthy diet." Still even of greater importance was the fact that people eating the Mediterranean diet enjoyed what they were eating more and found it easier to continue to eat this way on a long-term basis.

The Mediterranean diet isn't actually a single diet, but more accurately it is described as a "style" of eating that is associated with the countries that surround the Mediterranean sea, particularly Spain, Italy, Greece and North Africa. The Mediterranean diet is full of healthy, low fat food choices. One problem often seen is when people try to "Americanize" it. Like any style of eating, it's loses something when take it out of its native context. When mixed with processed and refined foods, more red meat is added to tends to lose it best feature its ability to promote heart health.

As Americans we often tend to think that if something is good for us, we should eat more of it. We then tend to over eat. The value of he Mediterranean Diets eating relatively small proteins of filling healthy foods. The Mediterranean diet along with regular exercise creates an inherently healthy lifestyle which can go along way not only to protect your heart, prevent stoke, but also reduce arthritis and allow healthy safe weight loss or weight control.

To learn more about the Mediterranean diet, click here.

At the 46th annual conference of the American Heart Association researchers reported on the anti-inflammatory affects of the Mediterranean diet. They noted that in their study of healthy people, 326 women and 585 men ate a Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet is special in that it is a diet which is high in fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans), nuts, seeds and grains. It is low in saturated fat encouraging the use of chicken, turkey, fish and other sea foods over red meats.

The researchers first looked at adherence to the diet. This was measured by scoring the frequency with which participants ate certain foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and grains, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, and alcohol. They also noted the mono-unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio in the participants' diets.

The initial study group was monitored for 23 months between 2002-2003 and their blood C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured periodically during the study. CRP is a non-specific marker of inflammation that has been tied to an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Researchers observed lower levels of CRP in individuals in the study. It is currently believed that a lower CRP level will translate into a decreased cardiovascular and coronary artery disease risk.

The Mediterranean diet has already been shown to create significant improvement in blood lipids lowering both total cholesterol as well as LDL or bad cholesterol. It also have significant in being a safe way to lose weight and thin down the waistline. It appears to even have benefits when compared to eating the more traditional "heart healthy diet." Still even of greater importance was the fact that people eating the Mediterranean diet enjoyed what they were eating more and found it easier to continue to eat this way on a long-term basis.

The Mediterranean diet isn't actually a single diet, but more accurately it is described as a "style" of eating that is associated with the countries that surround the Mediterranean sea, particularly Spain, Italy, Greece and North Africa. The Mediterranean diet is full of healthy, low fat food choices. One problem often seen is when people try to "Americanize" it. Like any style of eating, it's loses something when take it out of its native context. When mixed with processed and refined foods, more red meat is added to tends to lose it best feature its ability to promote heart health.

As Americans we often tend to think that if something is good for us, we should eat more of it. We then tend to over eat. The value of he Mediterranean Diets eating relatively small proteins of filling healthy foods. The Mediterranean diet along with regular exercise creates an inherently healthy lifestyle which can go along way not only to protect your heart, prevent stoke, but also reduce arthritis and allow healthy safe weight loss or weight control.

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